Last year I got to review the Navman MiVue True 4K Pro Surround, and in 2026, Navman has released a very similar sounding MiVue Smart True 4K Surround.
Of course, I couldn’t resist testing the new version to see exactly what had changed beyond dropping the “Pro” moniker from its name. The 2026 unit is strikingly different visually, with the front camera no longer on an adjustable axis to the dashcam body itself.
Navman MiVue Smart True 4K Surround vs MiVue True 4K Pro Surround (2025 vs 2026)
A whole twelve months. So what has changed? Let’s have a look at the table below.
| Feature | 2025 MiVue True 4K Pro Surround | 2026 MiVue Smart True 4K Surround |
|---|---|---|
| Front camera
*corrected on 22/7/26 |
True 4K UHD: 8MP CMOS sensor | True 4K UHD: 8MP CMOS sensor |
| Rear camera
*corrected on 22/7/26 |
Sony STARVIS 2 sensor with WDR | Sony STARVIS 2 sensor with WDR |
| Side camera | 2.5K: 5MP sensor, 2.5K recording, 170° FOV | 2.5K: 5MP sensor, 2.5K recording, 170° FOV |
| Three-camera recording | Yes | Yes |
| Built-in Smart Parking | No, separate Smartbox required | Yes, integrated |
| Hardwire kit | Usually optional | Included |
| Smart Safety Camera alerts | Basic | New intelligent alerts |
| Average speed camera alerts | No | Yes |
| Extended Recording Mode | No | Yes, approximately doubles recording time |
| EZYSHARE Wi-Fi | Limited | Improved instant sharing |
| Supercapacitor | Yes | Yes |
| Voice control | Yes | No |
The heart of the system remains the same – Navman has kept the same cameras and sensors in the 2026 version, same field of view for the side camera.
It’s worth pointing out that Navman has only publicly identified the front sensor as the Sony STARVIS 2 1/1.8-inch 8MP sensor. The rear camera is described as using STARVIS technology with a 5MP sensor, while the interior/side camera is generically specified as a 5MP sensor.
The first crucial change is the inclusion of smart-parking. Previously you had to purchase a Smartbox separately (I had to run down to JB for that last year). The 2026 edition comes with everything needed to hardwire the dashcam to your car out of the box. That’s was a $50 accessory that you would have had to fork out for previously.
Another physical change is the connectors. The 2025 edition used mini-USB and micro-USB connectors for the various connectivity, the current generation has mini-USB, micro-USB and a proprietary 4-pin locking connector (power).
It is a little annoying in that you can’t just grab any old USB cable to power the MiVue Smart True 4K Surround – something I have had to do with the 2025 model as somewhere along the line, I have a loose connector. But on the other hand, the connector is much less likely to work loose over years of vibration and heat inside a vehicle – although the socket is right there on the front camera module and easily accessible.
Also changed is the mounting bracket for the front module. It’s a very different design and you can’t just pop the old module off and pop the new one on in it’s place. You have to replace the mount that is on the windscreen itself.
Because the mounting bracket and power connection have changed, owners upgrading from the 2025 model should expect to replace the windscreen mount and reroute the supplied power cable. It’s not simply a case of swapping the camera module over.
Integrated Smart Parking Mode Now Included
Technically, this functionality was available on the previous model if you purchased the optional Smartbox hardwire kit.
What it offers out of the box now is:
- monitor while parked
- record impacts
- record hit-and-runs
- record shopping trolley damage
- protect the vehicle battery automatically
This is an important change as damage to vehicles does not only happen when you are driving. Things happen in car parks, or just even on the side of the road. With the dashcam wired to your fuse box, you can capture all the events that may occur.
The camera will handle the discharge of your car battery so that it never drops below the threshold where it drains your battery.
Smarter Safety Camera Alerts and Driver Warnings
The 2025 model gave you a visual warning when you are coming up to a speed camera.
The 2026 version provides a hefty upgrade in this area. Warnings are now richer in details with an audio announcement of speed cameras as well as the speed limit.
It also announces school zones and the speed limit, however I can report that the dashcam is not aware of school holidays. Right now it is school holidays in Victoria and it keeps chirping at me when I enter school zones. So whilst it is a nice feature to have, there is still judgement calls to be made by the driver.
Additionally the Navman will give alerts for:
- average speed camera
- railway crossing
- accident blackspot
The warning distance also changes depending on your speed, so at freeway speeds you receive earlier notifications. Also, you should not be speeding. Just saying.
Extended Recording Mode Doubles Recording Capacity
This is new to the 2026 MiVue Smart True 4K Surround – the extended recording mode.
Navman has implemented a more efficient compression and encoding algorithm. This allows more footage to be stored whilst keeping the same resolution. The claim is that you can store roughly double the amount of footage in the same capacity microSD card before old recordings are overwritten.
Improved EZYSHARE Wi-Fi Performance
Last year when I was reviewing the 2025 MiVue True 4K Pro Surround, I pointed out some issues with maintaining a Wi-Fi connection from my phone to download the footage.
I can now happily say that in my testing, this has been significantly improved and I have not been losing connection during data transfer.
I do still on some occasion have issues with the initial connection via QR code, but that has not been a constant recurrence.
What’s Missing Compared with the 2025 Model
The feature that you lose in the new version is voice control.
To be honest, beyond testing, I have never used this feature in the past year.
Things to Be Aware Of
My experience with the 2026 MiVue Smart True 4K Surround has been largely trouble free. However I have to point out that the Smarter Safety Alert is not entirely accurate.
I have experienced on numerous drives where the Navman thinks there is a speed camera ahead and alerted me, along with the pinging that I am over the speed limit. However the reality is that the camera is on a cross road, rather than the road I was travelling on.
A key example of this is when I have been on the freeway, and the Navman alerts me to a speed camera that I know is on the road overpass coming up. It seems that the feature is working on a proximity to a known camera, but does not necessarily take into account direction of travel or the road.
This kind of makes sense as the 2026 MiVue Smart True 4K Surround is a dashcam, and not a GPS maps system. The issue is more likely related to the safety camera database and road matching logic.
At the end of the day, no system is perfect and the driver is responsible.
Also the GPS speed read out on the screen is about four seconds behind real time.
Navman MiVue Smart True 4K Surround Specifications
- Front camera: True 4K UHD Sony STARVIS 2 (8MP)
- Rear camera: 2.5K 5MP STARVIS
- Side camera: 2.5K 5MP, 170°
- Three-camera recording
- Integrated Smart Parking Mode
- Built-in GPS
- EZYSHARE Wi-Fi
- Supercapacitor
- Included hardwire kit
- Warranty: 3 years
Navman MiVue Smart True 4K Surround Review Verdict
Is it worth upgrading?
Image quality and camera coverage are essentially unchanged between the two model years, so the decision comes down to how much you value the new convenience and safety features.
I have included a selection of sample footage, although less than I would normally provide. Unfortunately, during installation I damaged the tint film on my rear windscreen, and my rather MacGyver-esque mounting solution for the rear camera wasn’t particularly stable, resulting in some decidedly wonky footage. Rather than include footage that didn’t accurately represent the camera’s performance, I have chosen to limit the samples shown.
Having tested both generations, I found no meaningful difference in image quality. For a more comprehensive look at the camera’s performance, including additional day and night footage, readers can also refer to my review of the 2025 MiVue True 4K Pro Surround, as the camera hardware remains unchanged.
If you already own the 2025 MiVue True 4K Pro Surround, I don’t think there’s a compelling reason to upgrade. Integrated parking mode can be added with the optional Smartbox for around A$50, while large-capacity microSD cards remain far cheaper than replacing an otherwise excellent dashcam simply to gain Extended Recording Mode.
However if you are in the market for a new dashcam, or an upgrade from something a few years old, then this complete package is worth consideration.
I do like the coverage of the side views, and the image quality with the Sony Starvis 2 sensor being the industry benchmark.
The 2026 MiVue Smart True 4K Surround has RRP A$549 (pricing updated 27/7/2026), and is available from major electronics retailers or visit www.navman.com.au. The units come with a 3-year warranty.
DRN would like to thank Navman for providing the review unit.
